Various illnesses, especially some malignant and benign tumors are controlled by androgenous sexual hormones. For example, benign prostatic hyperplasia is influenced, triggered or kept in growth by a reduction of the androgens and thereby by a relative increase of the estrogens. Strangury, residual urine and finally acute urinary blockage are observed as symptoms of this illness. The purpose of therapy must be to increase the micturition volume as well as the maximal urine flow quantity, and at the same time to reduce the residual amount of urine.
Such androgen-dependent tumors or neoplasms and disease are, inter alia, treated with anti-androgens. These are substances which suspend the androgenous effect at the target location. Cyproteronacetate and androsten and estran derivatives are known as anti-androgens on the market.
Anti-androgens are used therapeutically for men in the case of prostate tumors of pubertas praecox (too early commencement of puberty) and in the case of hypersexuality, ranging up to criminal sexual aggression. For women, the indications for therapy using anti-androgens are hirsutism as well as acne which is caused by androgens.
However, to some extent substantial side effects are observed. In the case of men, an inhibition of spermiogenesis is observed in up to 60% of patients, which may lead as far as sterility. In about 15% of the cases, there is inhibition of the libido and of potency. Furthermore, an increase in weight as well as a gynaecomastia are observed in from 20 to 25% of cases.
Particularly for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, plant extracts from the roots of nettles (radix urticae) are used. For example, a dry extract obtained from radix urticae having 20% carbinol is obtainable on the market for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. When using this agent, the problems which arise in prostatic hyperplasia can be reduced.
From DE-OS 38 27 953, a pharmaceutical preparation is known consisting of an extract of the nettle root urtica kiovensis (Rogowicz), which comprises aromatic carboxylic-acids, phenols, lignans and phytosterols. The phytosterols contain primarily 13-sitosterin, campesterin, stigmasterin, and their oxidation products, 5,24(25)-stigmastadien-3-ol and stigmasta-4-en-3-on, apart from cholesterol.
For the treatment of prostatic hyperplasia or prostate carcinomas, it is suggested in DE-OS 34 01 178 that the 5(6)alpha-epoxycholesterol level should be reduced by the use of phytosterol glucosides and/or their esters.
From "Chemical Abstracts" 96(2):11546r, 99(12):93577a and 104(22):193257m, it is known that plant extracts from the bark of pygeum africanum may be used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, and they contain 3-.beta.-sitostenons together with a plurality of other active ingredients.
However, the disadvantage of all these known agents is that a relatively high quantity of the active ingredients must be used in order to obtain a reduction of the prostate volume and relief for the complaint.
Substances and agents are sought which permit the treatment of diseases which are influenced by androgenous hormones in comparatively small doses, and with which the side effects of therapy are reduced.
In particular, an active ingredient is sought for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Stigmasta-4-en-3-on is known as a substance and it constitutes an oxidation product of stigmasterol, a phytosterol.
According to JP 62-108899-Al, an oxidation product of stigmasterol, namely 24-stigmasta-4,24(28)-dien-3-one is used as an agent for growing hair. The use of stigmasta-4-en-3-one as a means for hair growth is also known from "Chemical Abstracts" 105(18):158615a and 106(4):23080x. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,829 describes the hydration of stigmasta-4,22-dien-3-one when using palladium in the presence of tert-butylamine. A non-cosmetic, pharmaceutical use of the above dienone compound or its hydrated product is not known as yet.
The invention is based on the object of identifying active ingredients and pharmaceutical preparations which contain them, for successful use in the therapy of sexual hormone-dependant illnesses.